Is your deodorant making you gain weight?

If you’re focused on fitness, chances are you’re interested in preserving or improving your health and wellness overall. I get asked a lot of interesting questions about all things related to our bodies. Some, I’ll be the first to admit, I am not qualified to answer. But I can certainly give you my recommendations on products that work for me or things that have been game changers in my life.

(Let’s call these “pop-tops”, short for popular topics, and see if that name sticks.)

Pop-top of the Day

Natural deodorant:

Q: Do you use it? If so, what brand?

A: Yes! I do use a natural deodorant. Here are my thoughts:

Most big brand deodorants contain ingredients like aluminum compounds, parabens, triclosan, and other known carcinogens. Many of these ingredients are skin irritants. Your skin is your body’s first line of defense. If it’s bumpy, itchy, red or rashy, it’s sending you a message. Not only is that skin irritation a nuisance, but it’s also your body telling you that something is in your system that your body is trying to filter out.

Your Armpits are like a cave that lead straight to your bloodstream. Because they are often warm and prone to sweat, the pores are often open and ready to absorb anything on their surface. So, when deciding what to put on your pits, you have to keep a few things in mind.

It should be something that’s as safe internally as it is externally.

It should not prevent your pits from sweating

It should prevent bad odor from forming

If you are sensitive to an ingredient in your deodorant, it could be causing long term or short term problems. The most common issue is inflammation. Chronic inflammation can lead to exacerbated autoimmune disorders that could otherwise stay in remission. Most autoimmune disorders lead to fatigue of the entire body or specific systems (like your adrenal system) making weight loss difficult.

If you’re interested in trying a natural deodorant, I have one that is my ultimate favorite. Hands down, this brand is the best (for me). It does not give me a rash. I have no bumps or irritations under my arms. It keeps me odor free for 24+ hours. The brand is Native. It comes in a few different scents or unscented. I prefer Coconut Vanilla.

Compared to most supermarket brands, you do pay more for a natural product. If you are looking for a natural alternative that’s cheap, you can try some of these products on their own.

Coconut oil: You can spread straight coconut oil right under your arms. It’s antibacterial, antiviral, anti fungal and it won’t clog your pores. Add a drop of your favorite essential oil if you want a scent to linger.

ACV: Apple cider vinegar and be applied with a cotton ball just as if you were using a toner or astringent. This is a great way to keep your pit skin clear and free of dead skin and bacteria.

baking soda: You can pat a small amount of baking soda under your arms to keep the area dry and odor free. Some find this to be too drying.

Arrowroot powder: Use this just as you would baking soda. This is an alternative for people that are sensitive to baking soda or to use if you can’t find aluminum free baking soda.

There are loads of other brands out there for you to try. I’ve tried most of them. Native is the one I stuck with.